Nick,
I wasn't specificlly implying that someone should trade in their Astar for one of these although it would be fun. On the other thread the discussion was about the capabilities of the aircraft and how the operators today don't want to spend the money to get it. Certainly using the newer machine should allow a better safety margin if all thing were equal and I was suggesting they weren't. If both could be properly maintained and supported which would be better, a brandy new 407 flying at high altitude and near max gross or one of your 1970s technology UH60As with load to spare and two pilots and maybe crew cheif to keep eyes out of the cockpit? Sure one is going to burn more fuel as it is bigger but if you could buy it surplus from Uncle Sam the lower purchase cost would offset the difference.
The problem here is that many mil surplus aircraft are no longer supported by the manufacturer so a Wessex EMS aircraft wouldn't be practical from the start. although Sikorsky hasn't supported the S58 for decades and yet there are still bunch flying today...very safely I might add! Don't get me wrong Nick I'm all about new but I've seen an awful lot of accidents with "new" aircraft recently they just come from "new" problems.
Fire away
Max